First go with a 6x45, Shaking My Head

[Will Henry]

I built myself one 6x45, in 1979, as I recall. I still have a box of brass I shot in it. Mine was a LV rifle built on a Shilen DGA action, glued into a Lee Six stock. I shot 70 BT's in it and it was a pretty solid 1/4 moa performer. Good enough that I could win with it if I had a good day. It certainly shot as well as the 6x47. I believe I loaded 322 powder. I had the load written on the wall, behind my loading bench, but we've moved twice since then! WH

 

[wildcatter]

6 tcu....case Full of 748, 60 Sierra HP. Try it, you will like it. 1 hole groups not 2 and 1.

I'll stick with the benchmark Jeff, hard to beat .3's for 5 shots with a light sporter repeater. It is the only gun I found that would shoot Benchmark to my satisfaction. now if this was a target rifle that weighed more than 7# w/scope, I might bail. But I don't care for ball powder to begin with. Plus I doubt it will do this and hit 3200 fps doing it?



Big difference in satisfactory varmint loads,,,, and satisfactory target loads, I try not to confuse the two, Plus I never found any ball powder that would do this good or better with any load from 27.0 grn's 28.0 or 29.0 grains, and this lowly 3 shot group measures better @ .306" than the 5 shot group, and over 3300 fps. Now to me that's a varmint load! In a 400 yard rifle, I won't be changing anything, if it don't die, I'm the only one to blame. Then maybe I'll finally use this Benchmark up.

 

[wildcatter]

I built myself one 6x45, in 1979, as I recall. I still have a box of brass I shot in it. Mine was a LV rifle built on a Shilen DGA action, glued into a Lee Six stock. I shot 70 BT's in it and it was a pretty solid 1/4 moa performer. Good enough that I could win with it if I had a good day. It certainly shot as well as the 6x47. I believe I loaded 322 powder. I had the load written on the wall, behind my loading bench, but we've moved twice since then! WH

This gun shoots the H322 better in this gun as well, but it won't match it for speed. Speed is worth a little accuracy for varmints, like I said, If I was shooting groups, it might change, but this is not a match rifle, I have much better for that.

 

[WayneShaw]

Anyone who has shot benchrest for a while has a bunch of misc. bullets on hand. And old barrels. So if you have a gun with a .378" bolt face, a 6x45 is an easy way to have some fun. Once fired 223 brass is cheap and a run through a run through a sizing die is all it takes. And the run of the mill AR can be used.

 

[wildcatter]

Anyone who has shot benchrest for a while has a bunch of misc. bullets on hand. And old barrels. So if you have a gun with a .378" bolt face, a 6x45 is an easy way to have some fun. Once fired 223 brass is cheap and a run through a run through a sizing die is all it takes. And the run of the mill AR can be used.

Your right, I found the LC brass not only cheap, but what I got with this rifle, and see no reason to change. I really knew nothing about the 6x45, But being schooled by Fred Sinclair at a very early age, anybody who paid any attention at all, knew what the 6x47 was. Plus I knew little about the LC military brass, other than when I tried using it in 6mm TCU for my Contender it was a pain to load, but that was decades ago!

But I found this in the classifieds for sale by a great guy I used to shoot rimfire matches with. But the only thing that caught my eye was the .223 that was stated in the add. It was a brand new barrel that went with it. I didn't even catch the gun had the 6x45 barrel, which is what was on it, and all Jim had shot on the rifle. But after I read the entire add(3 months after being listed here)? I found the trued 600 action, seen the 700 bolt conversion, and the external bolt release, then after actually reading it, the McMillan Hunter stock, I had to buy it!

Since this gun came with virgin LC brass, so no need to swage the primer pockets or anything else, it is just decent brass. But it shot so well, and since I had the 223 barrel as well, and plan on using it for truck varmint rifle, I started looking for brass. I found a guy that was selling once fired range brass he was getting from a local military base. Trimmed, deswaged, fully resized twice, and double washed, and double tumbled,,,, for a silly $85.00 for 500 rounds.

Now I have to say, for these barrels, I won't be buying anything else. Super cheap to shoot, as well as well as delivering more accuracy than I need for the purpose this rifle is going to be used for. I just had the 24" 223 barrel cut to 20" and swapped it out to see how lucky I can get with it. A cartridge I would never deliberately build a rifle for, but again, for a 20" truck gun, I would like the extra speed it can give over the 222 Remington. Another cartridge that anyone who knew Fred Sinclair knows how much praise he had for it!

Since I built a panda tribute to Fred on an early McMillan Graphite stock, buying the gun just to get the 17 cal PENCE hand cut rifled barrel that was on it, I have a Custom 222 match reamer I had designed with a .246" nk, for the 700 rounds of Virgin Lapua brass I have for the single lot, everything I know Fred would appreciate!

If I ain't happy with the 223, I have an easy fix for that barrel, shorten it another 1/2" and 222 time. I might then try and form some of the LC brass for it, and if it shoots close to the Lapua brass, well I'll save the Lapua match brass for my Panda and score again.

But with over 2000 65 grain bibbs and the 500 rounds of military brass to go with the 200 rounds of commercial LC brass I'll have a good supply, and a true way to evaluate it.

 

[BobT]

Hey wildcatter,
My 6x45 really loves the 80 grain Blitz, you may give that one a try too.

 

[wildcatter]

Hey wildcatter,
My 6x45 really loves the 80 grain Blitz, you may give that one a try too.

will it shoot .3moa out to 350 yards leaving at 3300 fps? I ain't changing anything with over 2000 of these Bibb's on the shelf, and the thing about Bib Bullets is, No Surprises,,,ever! Randies bullets are the most consistent I have ever bought. I might find a barrel that likes a Peinhardt Hotenstein, Denoff, Barts, etc which that particular barrel likes better, but! None of them have been more consistent in every dimension as the Bib bullets. and I assure you, there will be wtf's with any commercially made bullet, including Bergers, more often than the customs.

But with over 2000 of these just setting on the shelf, from a featherweight barrel contour,,,, I ain't changing anything, with finally a use for Benchmark to boot, the former owner had better success with the H322, but I have better use for it in my 222, and again, and even the over 4000 Rem 7.5 primers, this rifle is not a match rifle, and a pleasure to own having so many components on hand without investing another dime in anything,,,,, needless to say I'm retty happy right where it's at. So WE AINT CHANGING ANYTHING!!

But we will see how my secret 47 grain bullets do in the 20" 223 barrel, and hopefully use up my XBR8208 that I am still looking for a use for? This is open to suggestions that I would try. I just got to many match and Varmint rifles to try and find time to shoot, NO SAFE QUEENS in this cave!! I will do anything for .010" in a match rifle agg,,,, not my hunting guns. My anal stops at some point, under 1/2 moa in hunting rifles, repeatably, is it! I think?

 

[BobT]

Mine won't shoot quite that fast, it only has a 14" barrel I have yet to shoot any custom bullets in it. I can understand why you don't want to try anything else, I probably wouldn't either. I was very tempted to buy that gun when it showed up in the classifieds. The guy who built your rifle was a friend of mine, he could build as good a rifle as anyone else but you had to be patient, he had chronic migraines and sometimes couldn't work for a couple of weeks at a time.

 

[wildcatter]

Mine won't shoot quite that fast, it only has a 14" barrel I have yet to shoot any custom bullets in it. I can understand why you don't want to try anything else, I probably wouldn't either. I was very tempted to buy that gun when it showed up in the classifieds. The guy who built your rifle was a friend of mine, he could build as good a rifle as anyone else but you had to be patient, he had chronic migraines and sometimes couldn't work for a couple of weeks at a time.

From one Bob to another, I almost as well in September when he first posted it. But I just looked at the picture and read 223. I took for granted without reading it, or paying attention to enlarge the picture, it was just a 223 Tomahawk with a cheap Tupperware stock, and blew it off.

Then 2 months later when the owner bumped it back up, I seen it again, but after my first brain fart, I noticed who had it for sale, a guy I have shot rimfire matches with over 30 years ago, and over the years have bought a couple items from.

SO, then I opened the pictures,,, first thing I noticed was the Bolt release, and the 700 bolt handle. That sparked enough interest in the action alone, after beginning in short range BR influenced by Fred Sinclair (Rest His Soul), building me first BR gun on this actions little Bro, the XP-100, I was indeed impressed.

Then I actually read the description,,, Unfired 223 barrel, new 6X45 with less than 200 rounds on it, AND another 222x35 barre, along with the excellent McMillan ADL style hunting stock.l? So a call was inline to see the details.

That was when I found out about the Gunsmith you mentioned, and found he didn't have it built. But a friend of his knew the gunsmith and he had shot it when the original owner first got it. He tried to buy it for some time, but the guy would not sell it. But he finally ended up with it, and the story was repeated to me. I instantly without hesitation told him I would take it!

I had thought about cutting the chamber end slightly, and rechambered it for the 222 custom chamber I have a reamer for. But then it's a tight neck, and I use it in my Panda to beat as many 6mm PPC's as I can at our local BR Matches. So a nice 20" lightweight varmint rig sounded better. I cut that 223 barrel down and with some custom 47 grain bullets and a jug of 8208 I don't use in anything looks to be promising. If it repeats at around 3450 fps, this little rig will get even more use.

Just glad I looked a little closer myself, anything this seller has ever sold me here or offline has been a bargin, and usually even better than he states!

 

[JSH]

Going to try and get out to the range this weekend if weather permits.
My XP 6TCU has not had any exercise for some time. That needs fixed. I also got some of the virgin LC brass when I started this project, still have 100 that are not fire formed yet.
Another person with some benchmark that has not shown me much. Will have to give it a shot.

Am I the only one that seems not to shoot a boringly accurate rifle, as much as problem child. I mean I know what it will do on demand and cold bore to boot, so it stays home. No sense I wearing it out.

 

[harro]

I’d forgotten about this thread and then it popped up again.
Here is a photo of my very basic 70gr Sierra BK test I did a while ago.
Since then I’ve loaded up another 20 rounds of the 27.2 gr load and confirmed that they shoot good enough for my requirements .
My .223 just sits in the safe unloved at the moment because of 6x45 .

 

[wildcatter]

Going to try and get out to the range this weekend if weather permits.
My XP 6TCU has not had any exercise for some time. That needs fixed. I also got some of the virgin LC brass when I started this project, still have 100 that are not fire formed yet.
Another person with some benchmark that has not shown me much. Will have to give it a shot.

Am I the only one that seems not to shoot a boringly accurate rifle, as much as problem child. I mean I know what it will do on demand and cold bore to boot, so it stays home. No sense I wearing it out.

we'll be watching for your results. I'm interested in seeing if this is Benchmark happy cartridge, or if I just got a one off that likes it. I have many powders and loads that are repeat performers in the same cartridge in most guns shooting it. I hope this is another, I like having reliable loads for specific cartridges, and like I say, I have a few I can rely on when I acquire a new gun for them.

 

[JSH]

we'll be watching for your results. I'm interested in seeing if this is Benchmark happy cartridge, or if I just got a one off that likes it. I have many powders and loads that are repeat performers in the same cartridge in most guns shooting it. I hope this is another, I like having reliable loads for specific cartridges, and like I say, I have a few I can rely on when I acquire a new gun for them.

When I was using a 14” 6TCU Contender I ran H335 with 80 grain Speers. My XP in 6x45, same bullet with H322 and later I believe 8208.
I was gifted a so-called “special” lot number of H335 years ago, by a fellow that campaigned 6x45 and 6x47, the 6PPC ended boths career so to speak.
Since building the 6TCU rifle, I have used AA2200 with 55-65 grain bullets, accuracy is acceptable for colony varmint work, speed kills am a speed freak I guess, lots of “air time”.
65-80 grain bullets I went back to H335, a little less speed than AA2200, stellar accuracy. Don’t get the explosive reaction from the thicker jacketed bullets, though the Speer TNT’s explode like ya launched an RPG. Probably killed as many PD’s from bullet splash as much as a direct hit with the TNT’s. Have gotten several triples over the years, got to the point I looked for mounds with multiples sunning in the AM, makes for total chaos.